This invention relates to a means for injecting fluid into food products such as meat, poultry, etc. At the present time, the general accepted method of curing meat and other food products is to inject the product, through a series of needles, with a pickle or curing solution, and then curing the product is a smokehouse. It is extremely desirable that a controlled amount of fluid be injected into the product.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,863,556, applicant disclosed a machine for injecting fluid into the meat products and the same has met with considerable success. Although the machine of applicant's earlier patent has met with considerable success, a problem associated with the same is that the weight of the fluid manifold or cross head prevents the same from being moved upwardly and downwardly at a rapid rate without creating undue vibration in the machine. Further, in applicant's earlier machine, the conveyor belt was moved in increments which created inertia problems at high production speeds due to the acceleration of the conveyor becoming excessive and the inertia force of the meat product overcoming the conveying friction with slippage occurring.
A further shortcoming of the prior art is that ordinarily only a few large stripper plates or pads are employed with each of the stripper plates controlling the flow of injection fluid through the needles associated with those particular stripper plates. Still another disadvantage of the prior art is that it has been difficult to precisely control the flow of injection fluid so that the needles are allowed to penetrate the product before fluid begins to flow as well as halting the flow of fluid before the needles leave the meat product.
Therefore, it is a principal object of the invention to provide an improved means for injecting fluids into food products such as meat, poultry, etc.
Another object of the invention is to provide a machine for injecting fluid into food products wherein the food product conveyor is moved continuously.
A further object of the invention is to provide a machine for injecting fluids into food products wherein a pair of transversely mounted fluid manifold assemblies extend across the conveyor with one of the assemblies being positioned rearwardly of the other assembly.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a machine for injecting fluids into food products wherein first and second fluid manifolds or cross heads are employed with the fluid manifolds being 180.degree. out of phase with respect to each other.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a machine for injecting fluids into food products wherein a large number of individual fluid manifolds are employed to insure precise metering of the injection fluid into the food product.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a machine for injecting fluids into food products wherein the fluid manifolds are reciprocated in a generally circular path to permit the fluid manifolds to move with the food product as the food product is being conveyed therebeneath.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a machine for injecting fluids into food products which includes means for preventing the flow of injection fluid into the food product until after the needles have penetrated the food product to a predetermined depth and which stops the flow of injection fluid to the needles prior to the needles leaving the food product.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a machine for injecting fluids into food products including a plurality of injection needles which are yieldably urged downwardly by the pressure of the injection fluid.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a machine for injecting fluid which is durable in use and refined in appearance.
These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.